Converging communications: voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) offers features to enhance business productivity.

• Author: Held, Shari
• Position: COMMUNICATIONS

WHEN VOIP WAS FIRST introduced in the marketplace, much of the hype around it focused on "free" long distance calls. Since then long distance costs have dropped to such an extent that free long distance alone is no longer justification for switching to a new IP-based phone system. But VoIP features and additional Cost savings are very attractive, and business use of VoIP, in one form or another, is growing dramatically.

Pete DiPaola, CEO, Indianapolis-based G3 Technology Partners with Indiana offices in South Bend, Fort Wayne and Evansville, cites a recent survey conducted by Forrester Research that reveals nearly half of the businesses surveyed have already adapted VoIP in some form or are planning to do so in the near future. He finds businesses deploying VoIP tend to fall into three main categories: businesses with employees in multiple locations, businesses which employ "road warriors" or businesses that offer employees the flexibility of working from their homes to meet their lifestyle changes and as well to retain an experienced workforce. "VoIP allows all these employees to be connected in an organized way back to their business," he says.

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Improved customer service. In today's competitive business environment, excellent customer service translates to a businesses advantage.

"What we are finding is our clients are able to use VoIP technology to allow them to do other kinds of higher-end applications that they weren't able to do before," DiPaola says. "And the reason for that is, now their database resources and their client information is more readily available from the desktop."

DiPaola says call centers are a prime example of how VoIP technology can help improve customer relations. VoIP telephony systems can recognize the caller's number and automatically match it to the client database, delivering the information to the computer screen right along with the call. "It saves time from the human perspective, and it also displays a better class of service," he says.

Flexibility and convenience. "VoIP disconnects the cord from the desk, not physically, but logically," says Don Barrett, director of telecom solutions for Indianapolis-based ESCO Communications which has offices in Richmond, Fort Wayne and Mishawaka. "That is very advantageous."

With Web-based "follow-me" capabilities, calls to an office phone Can be redirected to a cell phone, home phone or other location without anyone being the wiser. Caller ID also...